Railway-switch.



No. 719,557. 'PATENTB'D 11:13.3, 1903.

H. BLANGHARD. RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1902.

170 MODEL.

UTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE BLANCHARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES L. BOODRY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND HERBERT N. WILSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,557, dated February 3, 1903.

Application filed November 18, 1902.. Serial No. 131,104. N model.)

To aZZ 11/72/0721, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HORACE BLANCHARD, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-S witches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to street-railway switches of the ordinary type including a bedplate having a rail-tread portion forming a part of the mainline and a diverging railtread portion forming a part of the branch, a switch tongue or point being pivoted to the bed-plate and adapted to cooperate with either of the rail-tread portions, thus making the main line continuous or connecting it with a branch.

The invention has for its object to provide simple and effective means for preventing accidental movement of the switch-point from either position to which it may be adjusted, so that there will be no possibility of accident caused by loose movement of the switchpoint.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a street-railway switch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of a portion of the switch. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of one of the tongue or point arresting detents.

In the drawings, a represents the usual plate which forms a part of a street-railway track at a branch or siding, said plate having the usual rail-tread portions adapted to constitute parts of the main-track rail and parts of a branch or siding.

1) represents the usual switch tongue or point, which is pivoted at c to the plate a, and is adapted to occupy either of two positions, in one of which it makes the main-track rail continuous, while in the other it connects the main-track rail with the branch rail.

There is nothing new in the construction above described.

In carrying out my invention I provide the bed-plate with two upwardly-projecting detents d d, located at that portion of the bedplate over which the outer end portionof the switch-tongue moves. The switch point or tongue b is provided on its under side near its outer end with a recess b, adapted to receive either of said detents. The relative arrangement of the detents and the recess 1) is such that when the switch-point is in one of its operative positions its recess 12' engages one of the detents, the other being exposed. When the switch-point is in its other operative position, the recess b engages the other detents. Each detent is preferably aconvex boss formed on the outer end of a screwthreaded shank 01, adapted to be screwed into a threaded socket formed for its reception in the bed-plate a. I prefer to give the sides of the boss d a gentle inclination, so that the switch point or tongue I) can be moved readily onto each detent without undue resistance. The shank d is preferably provided with a flange or head d having slots d adapted to be engaged by a spanner for the purpose of turning the shank in and out of engagement with the bed-plate. It will be seen that the detents constructed and arranged as shown, in connection with the recess in the under side of the switchtongue, provide for a secure maintenance of the tongue in either of its operative positions to prevent the liability of accidental displacement from either position without adding materially to the expense or'complication of the structure.

I claim 1. Astreet-railway switch comprisinga bedplate having two upwardly-projecting detents, and a switch tongue or point pivoted to the bed-plate and having a recess in its under side near its swinging end, adapted to engage either-of said detents, one of the detents being arranged to engage the switchpoint when the main line is continuous, and

the other when the branch is connected with the main line.

2. A street-railway switch comprising a bedplate having two, screw-threaded openings, 5 screw-threaded shanks engaged with said threaded openings, each shank having a slotted head and an upwardly-projecting circular boss constituting a detent,and a switch tongue or point pivoted to the bed-plate and having a recess in its under side near its swinging to end adapted to engage either of said detents, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE BLANOHARD. Witnesses:

CHAs. L. BOODRY, O. F. BROWN. 

